2 dogs die in T200

Single-digit temperatures fail to deter Jim Barkeley as he trains for the 350-mile 2013 Iditarod Trail Invitational bike race Monday afternoon Jan. 28, 2013 on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail near Pt. Woronzof in Anchorage, Alaska. Barkeley, who has practiced winter camping and studied arctic survival techniques, is now riding his fully-packed bike on training runs to prepare for the February 24 race start in Knik. Racers will travel by bike, ski or foot, covering either the 350 miles to McGrath or continuing on for 1,000 miles to Nome. (AP Photo/Anchorage Daily News, Erik Hill)

Race director and president Tami Murray says the mid-distance race has no record of previous dog deaths.

Race officials announced Monday that one of Kasilof musher Paul Gebhardt’s dogs died on the trail as his team was nearing the finish in the 200-mile race. Murray says Gebhardt attempted CPR but could not revive the 2-year-old female. He finished fourth.

The other death occurred on Nicholas Petit’s team. Murray says a 3-year-old male in the Normandy, France, musher’s team died on the trail after going more than half-way. Murray says by mutual agreement Petit scratched.

Murray says both mushers have been cleared of any misconduct and necropsies have been performed on the dogs.